HAUL OUT THE HOLLY. PRONTO.

it was a catholic feast day yesterday, although i wasn't sure of which one while the festivities were happening. and they really were happening, although they also all seemed to finish in time for lunch, maybe so that everyone not taking the "bridge" day over to the weekend could enjoy themselves in time to get to bed before they had to be up for work on friday. at one o'clock in the afternoon, it seemed like every parish marching band in the city was out playing somewhere, some of them (several, it seemed from the crowd) even at the south end of the solidly secular alameda. i had a vague recollection that the christmas season in poland started sometime around the end of the first week of deeember with what i thought i even more vaguely remembered was the feast of saint stephen, but the explanation given to me by the owner of the restaurant at number six calle regina was to do with the inmaculada, the celebration, per his telling, of one of the sevillian pantheon's many virgins. jesus is conceived! but essentially, he told me, people in spain celebrate the day like "la navidad pronto." and wasn't it festive. (whether he meant that genuinely or in exasperated irony, his place was packed.) for me, the spirit was contagious -- once i'd managed to escape the crowds on the streets and had found a place to park myself to watch them. i completely understand that sometimes you just need a little christmas -- and right this very minute as, apparently, they also say in spain on the eighth of december. and like they also -- also -- say, when in spain, do like the romans do. so it seems like it's going to be a nonstop party until the magi bring us our presents on the sixth of january. haul out that holly, baby. pronto.